Beryl becomes first hurricane 2018 season

Sustained winds are near 30 miles per hour with higher gusts and the depression is forecast to become Tropical Storm Chris on Saturday, with gradual strengthening expected through Monday when it could reach hurricane strength well off shore.

Beryl should impact the islands as a tropical storm. The country lost half of its buildings from Maria's 160 miles per hour winds, and is in the middle of a transformational change to prepare for the future storms of a warmer world. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 10 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles. "Confidence in the official intensity forecast is also much lower than normal", the National Hurricane Center said when issue a warning on July 6. "It would be best if they are completed by June 1st at the start of hurricane season".

As Beryl moves toward Puerto Rico and Haiti, however, it is expected to diminish to a tropical storm.

Berg said forecasters aren't expecting it to move inland, "but it could get close enough to the coast to cause some impacts like wind and heavy rain".

Central Florida will see more storms on Friday.

"Because of the small size of Beryl and anticipated weakening, widespread wind damage is not expected", said AccuWeather meteorologist Jake Sojda. Additional watch areas may be required for other islands later today.

Gradual strengthening is forecast during the next few days and while it is expected to reach Category 1 hurricane strength by Tuesday, the track remains offshore.

Beryl is the first hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season.

The Met Office added that people in areas prone to flooding, landslides and falling rocks are advised to be extremely vigilant and to exercise extreme caution as life-threatening flash flooding is possible from Sunday night.

Government forecasters are advising residents and vacationers in the Carolinas to closely monitor the progress of this storm system, which is expected to drift slowly northwestward this weekend towards the North Carolina coast, where it might stall or meander.

The hurricane center predicts the storm will continue its path heading northwest off the coast of North Carolina.

The first hurricane of 2018 has been whipped up in the Atlantic generating 75mph (120km/h) winds.